1. Don't just read about it - use the software!

Get your hands on a copy of Windows XP and beat it to death. Load it on as many systems as possible and do everything in your power to kill it off and then bring it back to life. Breaking things is the best way to learn. The XP exam focuses heavily on problem solving abilities and you can only earn those by solving actual problems with actual software.

Microsoft doesn't offer trial versions of Windows XP, however, you will most likely be able to find evaluation versions in the Microsoft Official Curriculum and MS Press study guides being released for exam 70-270. Buying a study guide with an evaluation copy of the operating system is cheaper than buying the operating system outright.

2. The Cramsession is not enough...

Think of the Cramsession as a roadmap of what to study. Make sure you take the time to play with the features we've highlighted and read all of the articles we've linked to. Whatever you do - don't just assume you can memorize the Cramsession and pass the exam as that's a recipe for disaster.

3. Use Microsoft TechNet to the fullest!

Microsoft maintains a wonderful database of resource articles called TechNet. Visit it frequently and search for new articles on Windows XP. This is a completely free resource and there is no excuse for not using it.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/

4. Seriously think about getting Connectrix Virtual PC and installing Windows XP into it if you are limited on computers are just plain afraid to break your system. It looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...must be a duck.

5. Use the Windows XP built-in help system to the MAXIMUM amount possible. The answers to an overwhelming majority of your questions can be found in there...and most likely a whole of other related information that you will find useful but didn't directly look for. The really neat thing about Windows XP help on a machine that it is connected to the Internet is that it will also search the Microsoft.com website when you perform a help search on your local computer...now that's a neat trick!

6. When "Boldly going where no man has gone before" (i.e. making configuration changes in an effort to learn what happens), keep a written history of EXACTLY what you have. It's a lot faster than running a restore operation of ntbackup.exe. You are backing up your system on a regular basis, aren't you????